Obama Planning to Throw Injured Veterans Under the Bus

Pat over at the And So it Goes in Shreveport blog has an angry (justifiably) post regarding Obama's apparently impending decision to cut wounded veteran's insurance benefits. The reaction of The American Legion is here.

Obama, showing his colors and priorities, is throwing wounded veterans under the bus to save $540 million dollars. His proposed cuts would leave veterans' private insurance companies to pick up the tab for service-related disabilities and injuries.

As And So it Goes in Shreveport states:

"Besides the moral outrage that comes with this, who in their right mind would enlist to serve and protect this country anymore knowing that their country, or rather their commander-in-chief, does not support them? What insurance company would cover these soldiers knowing the risk that might entail? And what of their families?"

Commander David K. Rehbien of The American Legion stated:

"This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate 'to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans!"

To cut such VA coverage to veterans is in itself unconscionable. To propose this cheap act while we have troops on the ground and fighting in both Afghanistan and Iraq, after passing a political payoff "stimulus" bill for $787 billion is despicable. Passing the financial buck onto the back of veterans who were injured while serving their country is beneath contempt. It cannot be ignored, swept under the rug, nor tolerated.

For what it's worth, you should contact your congressional representative and let them know where you and every other American with a modicum of dignity stand on this issue. Contact your local papers, let them know how you feel. Make them aware that they cannot ignore this story to run some fawning Obama family puff-piece.

People of good conscience cannot allow this petty and underhanded garbage to go unchallenged.